The Town of Grand Lake was originally laid out in 1879 on the shore of Colorado’s largest natural lake, and the town's first general store opened in 1881 to serve the needs of nearby mining camps located in what is now encompassed by Rocky Mountain National Park. Local mines never produced anything of much value, however, and it wasn’t long before ranching overtook mining as the top economy, and the area’s natural beauty soon began to attract summer visitors and vacation homeowners. 

The Town of Grand Lake was incorporated as a statutory municipality of the State of Colorado in 1944. It is currently governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of a mayor and six trustees, elected by popular vote. The Board determines policies, enacts local legislation, adopts budgets and appoints the Town Manager, Town Clerk and Town Treasurer. 

The Town of Grand Lake upholds the Six Pillars of Character: Citizenship, Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness and Caring

Learn more about the history of Grand Lake on the Grand Lake Area Historical Society website here!